The Lion, The Witch, and The New Hope
by A Girl Called Tennessee
Summary: Everyone knows the story of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, but when two new characters are added to the mix it could spark likes, dislikes and even the bitter root of hatred. Based off a dream of a close friend.
1. Chapter 1

**The Lion, The Witch, and The New Hope**

**Chapter One**

**Tennessee**

A young girl, twelve years old in one day, sat in front of her dusty window that looked out on the world, or at least her world. Her name was Hope, a fragile name for a not so fragile girl, true she wore elegant pink dresses and her long brown hair was constantly in a new form of well-dressed styles, but she wanted to be free so badly, not just watching the world go by through glass. If there was one thing that she had learned it was that if you watched the world go by for too long, sooner or later it would.

But in any case this was her window seat and her window, located in the living room of the mansion she lived in. An only child with a longing for adventure, but chains that held her tighter than the sky hugged the moon. She'd never been allowed too far out of the yard, and when she was it was only to go to the doctor's or to the dentist's, but all of her maids did the shopping, all of her clothes were specially made, and all of her life was particularly planned.

The most exciting thing that had ever happened to her took place about five years ago, when she had been sitting here doing the exact same thing, staring into space. There had been a knock at the door which she had rushed to answer, but gotten there a little too late to get it. The head maid, Heather, had already opened the door and was peering out at a eleven year old girl in tattered clothing with no place to go and no family to love her, all she had was a name. Charlotte Bethany Ann was what they called her, a fiery ball of energy that you never knew which way she'd turn.

The parents of the household had debated long and hard about whether to take this girl in, but had finally decided that the answer would be no. At this Charlotte had turned on her heels ready to leave when Heather had volunteered to train her as a maid, she wasn't happy about it, but seeing as there was no where else to turn agreed to it.

But in time the two had grow to be kindred of spirits, Charlotte acted like an older sister towards Hope, but at some times would just completely shut down and not talk to anyone, that's when Hope knew enough to leave her be. No one really knew why she went off on these random mood swings, but they were almost sure it had something to due with what life she had had before then. She had turned sixteen last month and seemed to be loving every minute of it, and every second of school.

Hope wished she could go to school, but instead she was just homeschooled, never any friends besides Charlotte, never anyone new to meet, or any teachers or grades, it seemed everyday was holiday even though she was schooled.

"Hope?" asked Charlotte sticking her head into the dinning hall.

"Mm?" Hope muttered in response without taking her eyes from the outside.

"I think that maybe your parents would like to talk to you," she muttered pushing her glasses up her nose and running a hand through her short black hair.

"Great, are they coming in here or am I going to walk?"

Charlotte shrugged and sat down beside her and smoothing her black uniform with white fringe out.

"You seem a little down," she said brushing some dust off the pillow in front of her.

"Me?" replied Hope with not a hint of any form of enthusiasm, "Well you know, I'm just bored."

"You always seem to be bored," Charlotte said placing the pillow back on the chair in front of her.

"That's because I always am. I never do anything exciting."

"I think living in a mansion is pretty exciting."

Hope shrugged, "Most people do. I just wish I could go some place new."

Charlotte opened her mouth to respond but as she did the door was opened and the madam walked in, causing her to leap to her feet immediately like she'd never sat down.

"Dismissed," the madam told her.

Charlotte managed a curtsy and left.

"Dear?" said her mother.

Hope didn't look up, "What?"

"How would you feel about moving to Finchly?"

"… Why?" she asked turning to face her mother.

"…."

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't be bad, if I got to go to a normal school."

Her mother hesitated and said, "… It might be possible."

"Sure," Hope said quietly, not to make her mother believe that she wanted to go as much as she did.

"Alright, you'll be staying with Heather."

"What about you and Dad?" she asked looking out the window again.

"We have to stay here, but you see we've arranged for a safer place for you to stay."

"The war doesn't mean anything."

"You'll like it there, your new neighbor has a few children and one is your age."

"Hooray," she said sarcastically.

"They're willing to bring you in if something goes wrong."

"Nothing's going to happen," Hope said now slightly irritated.

"It's not your call," her mother replied, "Heather's taking you and Charlotte there tonight, they'll be you maids."

Hope stood up with an angry look about her and left the room.

She wanted to go, she wanted to go almost more than anything, but if her parents were staying here then she wanted no part of this. But at the same time she wanted to go ever if they weren't, at least Charlotte was going, that would keep her happy, and another child her age, which could be fun. Plus, and the thing that made the most difference, she would finally be going to a school, and a public one at that.

* * *

"Take this," ordered Peter jamming a covered plate into Edmund's hands.

"I don't want it," Edmund replied trying to shove it back at Peter.

"Mum told me to give it to you, so here it is," he said.

"What is it?" Edmund asked lifting the tinfoil revealing a large yellow cake with pink icing. "Pink? Is it a girl?" his tone somewhere between insulting and irritated.

Peter nodded, "She's a month younger than you, I think. Her parents are still in London, she moved here to get away from the war."

"Alone? I though you said she was my age."

"She has two maids."

"Perfect, a stuck up snob."

Peter grinned, "You'll get along great."

Edmund scowled as Lucy and Susan entered the room.

"Oh! Let me see!" smiled Lucy reaching to pull the tinfoil back on the cake.

"Hey! It's mine!" Edmund snapped simply to bother his sister.

""It's just a cake, Lu," Susan sighed seeing as Edmund wasn't going to tell her what it was, "I made it with Mum."

"You baked Edmund a cake?" she asked cocking her head.

"No, we baked our new neighbor a cake."

"Why would she bake me a cake," Ed added in an insulting way.

"Well I don't know."

"Well you should use your common sense."

"Ed!" Peter scowled.

"It's the truth!"

"And this is why we are going to be extremely dislike by the neighbors," Susan cut in.

"Let's just go," Peter sighed opening the door and shuttling everyone out into the bright midday sun.

"Is Mum coming?" Lucy asked.

"She's coming," Susan replied as they walked down the driveway and their mother caught up with them, coming from the garden.

"Edmund don't drop the cake," she said patting him on the back.

He grumbled irritably and stood up straight to please her. "I'll be _very _careful," he said sarcastically.

Peter scowled at this and continued around the shrubs and into the next yard, slightly larger than theirs but it was still pretty small, with a newly mowed green lawn and a car in the driveway.

"Mark my words," Edmund whispered to Peter upon seeing the parked car, "she'll be shallow and boring."

"Shut up," he murmured in response as their mother rang the doorbell and they could hear someone running to open it up.

"Well then get her," they heard and the door swung open revealing a tall, thin woman with blond hair and stern facial features, "Hello?"

"Here," Edmund said sourly handing her the cake and walking away.

The woman wasn't sure how to respond besides watching him go around the side of the house and towards his backyard.

"I'm so sorry," their mother said after he had vanished from sight.

"I-it's fine," she replied, "I assume you are the new neighbors."

Peter nodded and extended a hand, "Peter Pevensie."

"Heather," replied the woman shaking his hand.

"Yes, and I'm Helen," his mother said, then pointed to her daughters, "And this is Susan and Lucy," both smiled and shook her hand. "… And that was Edmund you saw before."

"Won't you come in?" asked Heather with a smile opening the door, the four stepped in and looked around at the newly painted walls and dusted furniture, but although it was new it still had a finished look about it.

"Charlotte?" Heather called and a tall girl around Peter's age with short, black hair, dark brown eyes, and glasses ran in. "Can you bring out some tea?" she said motioning to the couches for the Pevensies to sit.

"I still can't find her," Charlotte whispered sharply.

"Just tea, that will be all."

The girl seemed upset at being ignored but hurried into the kitchen, returning a few moments later with a hot tea kettle and five cups which she placed on the table in front of them.

"I already had a kettle on," she said with a sideways glance at Peter, but he didn't look at her.

"Thanks," he said without looking up.

"… I'll go find her now."

"Who're you looking for?" Lucy asked Heather while taking her cup of tea to her mouth. No one had time to tell her to be quiet before Heather was already answering.

"Hope, the madam of the house, she's constantly disappearing."

"Where's the girl?" Lucy asked eagerly.

"That's her, Hope Foster."

* * *

Edmund slowly walked around the side of the house, staring at the sky as he went wondering what sort of punishment he'd get for acting so rudely, but he didn't think of anything. In fact he wasn't really thinking, just walking when he heard a small sound around the upper part of the yard, where it slopped into the hill he was standing at the bottom of.

He turned, but saw nothing so continued to walk when he heard it again, but this time he did not look to see what it was, in turn was hit and knocked over with something very large and heavy, hurtling down the slop at around the speed of a small car.

"What the," he muttered moving out from under the object to take a better look at his attacker. It was a bobsled, who would be riding a bobsled at the beginning of summer was completely beyond his comprehension.

"Oh, my God," exclaimed a voice from the top of the hill and a girl around Edmund's age with long auburn hair and an long yellow dress on that made her look like she was going to a ball of some sort ran down the hill with a guilty look about her.

"I am so sorry," she said helping him up.

"What'd you do that for," he scowled pushing her away and standing up on his own.

"I just wanted to see if it'd work."

"If what would work?"

"The sled."

Edmund hesitated for a moment "… Of course it works, but they're meant of snow."

"But there isn't any snow," she replied in a way that sounded almost insulting.

"Didn't you go sledding in the winter?"

"No."

"Haven't you ever gone sledding?"

"No."

"… What's wrong with you?" he muttered shaking his head.

The two stood silently for a moment without looking at each other before the girl asked, "… Are you Edmund?"

Edmund nodded, "You're Hope then."

Hope nodded.

"… So, you really lived in a mansion?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah, but I was a captive," she then motioned to the sled, "I've never even been out in the snow before."

"That puts a damper on things."

She nodded, "… And you have… how many brothers and sisters?"

"Three, but I really don't like one so I guess it's more like two sisters."

She chuckled. "Just me… and the sled. Did you see Charlotte?" Hope asked sitting down in the grass.

"Who?" he replied sitting down also.

"Guess you didn't then, she's my maid, but she should be around."

"Is it fun having servants?"

"Well she's not my servant, she's my friend, she just turned sixteen."

Edmund sighed, "That's how old Peter is."

"I just turned twelve yesterday," she said with a slight bit of enthusiasm.

"Happy birthday then," he smiled.

They were running out of things to say.

"… So you like it here?" Edmund asked after a few seconds.

"It's nice, nothing like London though."

"Was it nice there?"

"I suppose, I never really saw the city itself."

"You had a boring life," Edmund said intending no offence.

"You're right," she sighed.

"… I'm going to teach you how to have some fun _without_ injuring me."

She grinned at this, "Sure, sounds like fun."

"Good, are you coming to our school tomorrow?" he said standing up.

"Yep."

"Then we start before school."

**_Hi Everyone, thanks for reading my newest story. Although this story takes place in Finchly they will get to Narnia, don't worry. I love all polite comments so please review. Thanks again_**

**_Tennessee_**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Lion, The Witch, and The New Hope**

**Chapter Two**

**Tennessee**

"You love her," teased Lucy jumping up and down and tugging on Edmund's rucksack.

"Do not!" he scowled pushing her away and continuing down the hall to his locker, but Lucy caught up.

"You spend every day with her!"

"It's the end of the last day of school, don't ruin it."

"Shouldn't you be spending it with your girlfriend?"

"Leave me alone!"

"Your ears are going red!" she grinned.

Edmund muttered under hit breath and covered his ears while flinging open his locker.

"What's going on?" Peter asked walking by them while putting a few summer homework books into his bag.

"Lucy's bothering me!" Edmund whined.

Peter smiled, "Good job Lu."

"Shut up!" Ed said glaring at him.

"Hey, Peter" said a new voice in the conversation, it was Susan, walking with Charlotte, "Charlotte and I are going to the cinema tonight, want to come with us?"

Peter hesitated for a moment with a sideways glance at his two youngest siblings, still giving each other a death stare, "… Well I guess, sure, I'll go."

"What about me?" snapped Edmund.

"What about you?"

"I want to go."

"No you don't," Peter said walking away with Lucy, Susan, and Charlotte.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Lucy asked when he was out of earshot.

"I don't know where she is!" he yelled, then realized he hadn't corrected the other part, "A-and she's NOT my girlfriend!"

"Whatever you say… see you later," she smiled trotting off after Peter.

Edmund scowled and slammed his locker shut, grumbling to himself, "Doesn't know anything, stupid Lucy."

"Looking for Lucy?" asked Hope walking up behind him and only catching his last word, "Just saw her walking down the hall."

Edmund jumped, "Um, no I was just-"

"Talking to yourself?" she smiled as she rocked on the balls of her feet with an excited look on her face.

"… You look like you're having fun."

"What can I say, learned from the best," she replied handing Edmund her hat and tying her hair up into a tight bun, then with her hair tie in her mouth said, "What are you doing after school?"

He shrugged and handed her the hat back, "Nothing, Susan and Peter and Charlotte are going to the cinema."

"Oh that's right, she has the night off, never takes me anywhere though," she replied putting the hat back on her head and untying her necktie so it hung loose.

"I know what you mean."

"So are you watching your sister then?"

"Don't think so. I hope not, but Mum will probably be home so most likely no."

Hope nodded while reaching into her pack and pulling out two apples, one red one green, "Hungry?"

"Thanks," he replied taking the green, "… I was thinking…."

"Yeah?"

"Did you want to go to the cinema?" Edmund said before it occurred to him that maybe it sounded to much like a-

"Like a date?" she asked finishing his thought.

"No, no," he said before letting himself think, "Maybe a little, but to… to spy on the others," he stuttered trying to recover the sentence, but finding it sounded so completely stupid that it was beyond help.

Hope hesitated a moment just thinking of what might come of this. She liked him, but didn't want their friendship to become too awkward. "… Sure Ed."

"Um, alright, then we should go with them, but sit away from them, but in the same show," he stammered.

"…?"

"I-I'll just follow you then."

"Sounds good," she giggled with a coy smile.

"The film starts at seven, so maybe we should go at six thirty?"

"Alright, see you then."

* * *

Pink dress, yellow dress, blue dress, green dress, another pink dress, an orange one, a white one.

"Ugh!" Hope moaned still continuing to search her extensive closet. Did she own anything that didn't make her look like a princess?

"What's wrong?" asked Charlotte walking into the room while brushing her hair out and placing a small light blue bow in it. She was wearing a casual blue dress belted section in the middle and simple flat shoes.

"I have nothing to wear," Hope sighed.

Charlotte scoffed, "Nothing to wear? You own more close than I will ever own."

"But they all make me look like I'm going to a ball, not on a date."

Charlotte perked up, "A date? You didn't tell me."

"Well it's not a date, just like a-a sort of get-together."

"Uh-hu, and who would you be going to this get-together with then?"

"… Edmund."

"HA! I knew it!"

"Stop! I-it's not what you think!"

"And where would you two turtledoves be going?"

"Nowhere."

"Let me take a guess, the cinema?"

"… Yes."

"Peter and Susan won't be happy."

"Why not? It's not like we're going with them."

"Well I don't mind, but they don't like Edmund tagging along."

"…?"

"You know he bothers them."

"But we won't this time."

"Just like last time?"

"… Edmund hit him with a spit ball, not me."

"And that's why they don't want him coming."

"…So can you help me choose something to wear or not?"

"What about that one?" Charlotte asked sitting down on Hope's bed and pointing to a one of her white dresses.

"I'm going to see a film, not going to get married."

"Fine, what about that one?" she asked again pointing to a light green one with sparkles and probably coming down to about her ankles.

"Are we looking at that same dress?" she questioned pulling out the monster in glitter.

"Do you ever want to wear this dress again?" Charlotte said taking it from her.

"No, why?"

"Just wanted to make sure," she said holding the dress up to the light, "Be back in a minute," and she walked out, returning shortly.

"Here you are," Charlotte smiled when she walked back in about five minutes later with a pair of scissors and a dress that didn't resemble the one she had left with at all.

"How did you do that?" Hope asked taking the light green dress with no sparkles that now came to a little below her knee.

"Simple, cut off the mesh that all the showy glitter was. Then I did a little work on the bottom so it looks more… striking," she nodded with a grin of satisfaction about her work.

"You're wonderful, now I need to get dressed," Hope said as Charlotte stepped out.

After dressing she muttered to herself, "Whoa." The dress made her look even more stunning that it would have if it was still in its original sparkly design. Now stripped down to a silky soft green it made her eyes flash like the blue green gems they were, even her pale heart shaped face was accentuated by it. She hoped Edmund would like it.

* * *

"That was fun," Edmund smiled standing with Hope in front of her house.

"It was," she grinned as the rest of the group caught up with them and Edmund was taken by the collar and pulled away by Peter and Susan.

"Hey!"

"I-I'll see you later," she called as he was dragged into his own yard and she was walked into her house with Charlotte.

"Why'd you do that?!" glared Susan once they were in the house.

"Do what?" Edmund asked trying to turn his smile into a scowl, but he couldn't manage it.

"Why'd you follow us to the cinema?" Peter said now.

"You holding some sort of grudge?"

"You followed us," Susan argued.

"No, I went with Hope. Why are you so upset?"

Both scowled but couldn't seem to think of a reason to yell at Edmund more than they already had.

"Well-" Peter began but their mother entered before he could finish.

"Be quiet," she hushed, "Your sister's already in bed."

"I wasn't the one-!" Edmund started.

"Be quiet, why is everyone so upset?"

"Edmund followed us to the cinema," Susan nodded.

"I know, he told me he was going," she said.

"See-!"

"SSHH!"

"See?" he whispered.

Susan and Peter scowled and walked back to their rooms.

He shrugged, "Night Mum."

"Goodnight Edmund," she smiled and walked back to her room.

Edmund yawned and was about to go up the stairs when he heard a sound far off in the distance. He cocked his head, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtain revealing a bright flash of light off in the distance and suddenly the sirens began wailing.

Edmund's heart leaped into his throat and his jaw dropped.

"Hope!" Charlotte screamed with a bag of food in her mouth running through the house to Hope's bedroom, knocking over a vase as she went. "Ah," she exclaimed looking at the pieces of the vase and pushing them under the couch quickly with her foot and continuing to race down the hall, her arms full of an assortment of cans and bottles.

As she reached the door it was flung open and hit her in the nose.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Hope said quickly as Charlotte got up. "What's going on?" her eyes were wide and her face was covered in a thick blanket of fear.

"We've got to get to the Pevensie's."

"Why, what's happening?"

Just as she said this, a large explosion shook the ground they stood on and knocked them over as their ears were filled with a crashing and splintering sound.

"What's going on?!" she cried as Charlotte took her by the arm and ran for the front of the house, but soon to find out that they couldn't get out that way owing to the fact that the shock had caused part of the ceiling to cave in, in front of the door.

"Charlotte?!" shouted Heather's voice from the outside.

"We'll go around the back!" she screamed in response.

"Where are they!" Peter shouted referring to their neighbours as he dragged his brother to the bomb shelter.

"They're not here!" his mother shouted back, over Lucy's crying and the blasts.

Edmund's eyes widened, "Let me go!" he shouted breaking free from Peter's grip and running back toward the house.

"Ed!" shouted grabbing at his shirt but missing and yelling back to his mother, "I got him!"

Edmund ran through the soaked grass, but instead of going inside the house as Peter would have thought he took a turn through the shrubs and into the next yard.

"Edmund!" he screamed running after him, but upon entering the yard didn't see any trace of him, all he saw was the entire front side of the house in ruins, and the backside looking as if it would comedown any second.

"Peter!" shouted Heather, "They never came out! It collapsed, wasn't meant for tremors! Your brother just ran in!"

"You didn't catch him?!" he replied without slowing his stride.

"I couldn't-!"

Peter dashed into the house and collided with Edmund.

"Did you see them?" Edmund asked quickly.

"No, come on! We need to get out of here."

Edmund turned on his heels and ran father back into the shifting building, Peter following.

There was another blast and they heard a small yelp and Hope and Charlotte fell from the next hallway.

"Come on!" Edmund screamed pulling Hope to her feet as Peter did the same for Charlotte and they bolted for the back door.

Heather saw them come out and followed them through the bushes and into the next yard where Mrs. Pevensie was holding the door to the bomb shelter open and waving for them to get in frantically.

"Go," Edmund snapped pushing Hope into the bomb shelter followed by Peter, who pushed him in and pulled Charlotte in, and Heather who slammed the door shut.

**_Hey Everyone, this is the newest chapter of New Hope... but you already knew that... so I guess I have nothing left to say besides please review :P_**

**_Tennessee_**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Lion, The Witch, and The New Hope**

**Chapter Three**

**Tennessee**

Edmund sighed and looked down at his feet as the train hustled over the tracks leaving behind only smoke as they were taken somewhere in the country, but where this place on their tags was they hadn't a clue. He didn't want to go, or talk to Hope, it wasn't her fault that they were going, they would have gone without him going to save her anyway, but this made his mother think about just what else he might do. Hence forth, they were here.

"You look sad Edmund," Lucy smiled holding her stuffed dog up to his face, "Do you want to hold my puppy?"

"… No," he said flatly pushing the dog away from him and looking out the train window, the scenery flying by quicker than he could watch it.

"He'll make you feel better," she insisted.

"No."

She opened her mouth to try and tell him something more, but Peter put a hand on her shoulder and turned his vision to Edmund, or more the back of his head, considering he wouldn't look at, and hadn't looked at, his brother for the two hours that they had been travelling.

"Ed?" Peter asked.

Susan glanced up from her book to look at her older brother, who almost seemed like he wanted to help Edmund.

"What?" he replied in a tone less than enthusiastic.

Peter wasn't sure what to ask now that he had his attention, he really hadn't planned that far just suspecting that his brother would ignore him to the point where he got angry.

Edmund turned his head to look at his brother and repeated, "What?" Peter obviously not responding

"… Nothing."

"Then leave me alone."

Susan opened her mouth to try to comfort him but she couldn't think of anything to say so shut it again and returned to the large pages of her thick reading book.

After about five minutes of silence in the train car Peter finally spoke up.

"There'll be other girls," he said calmly.

Edmund turned sharply at this with hard eyes and pursed lips, "Just leave me alone," he scowled then turned back to look out the window.

"I'm only trying to-," but Susan put a hand up to stop him.

"They won't even be that far away, just a few miles down the tracks," Susan said trying to manage a smile.

Edmund shrugged as the door slid open and Charlotte and Hope walked in with a slight grin.

"Hi," Charlotte muttered holding a small package of food and they took their seats next to Peter and Susan.

Edmund didn't take his gaze from the window, not even when Hope tried to get his attention.

"Is he alright?" Charlotte asked using Edmund as an excuse to talk to Peter.

"… Huh?" Peter mumbled, "Oh, yeah, he'll be fine."

"Why's he so upset?"

"Because we're leaving."

"Well I'm not that thrilled either, but it's happening whether he likes it or not," she said handing Peter a bottle of soda.

"No thanks," he said trying to give her the soda back.

"Got it for you, if you don't take it you're going to wear it," she said flatly.

"…" Peter blinked hard and popped the cap off.

She smiled and opened a snack as Susan sighed, "It's surprising you can stay as thin as you do eating so much.

Charlotte shrugged with a slight grin and looked over at Hope who was staring at her feet now.

"… I miss my Mum," she muttered only loud enough for Charlotte and Lucy to hear.

"Here," Lucy said with a guilty grin, handing Hope her stuffed dog, "He makes me feel better whenever I'm sad, never ever ever ever fails."

Hope glanced up at Lucy and took the dog, putting her face in its fur and sighing she tried to ignore the tear that rolled into the soft and worn down material.

Edmund turned his head sharply to look Hope, but she didn't realize that he was watching her. He cocked his head and brought a hand to his chin… she was… crying? Why? Why was she crying? She never cried, that might have been one of the reasons he liked her, but this sensitive side was… different to say the least. Not saying that he found it disagreeable, but it was just somewhat altered from the way that he had seen her normally.

The train pulling to a stop and causing all six to lurch in their seats brought Edmund from thoughts and Hope's face from the dog's fur.

"Thanks," Hope sniffled handing Lucy back her dog and standing up as Charlotte stood up to get their luggage, or what was left of it from the wreckage of their house.

"Let me help," Peter said getting up suddenly and shoving his soda at Edmund who caught it before it could tumble to the floor, "These are a little bit weighty."

Charlotte almost looked surprised by this but shrugged off her feeling of shock and took her suitcase from him, then handed Hope hers. She took it and exchanged a short glance with Edmund, but there was nothing but emptiness in both sets of eyes.

Susan looked at her younger brother and cleared her throat, "Aren't you going to say goodbye?"

"… Bye…."

Hope didn't look at him, "Bye…." And she left without another word.

"We'll see you soon then," Charlotte said with a cheery smile.

"Yeah," Lucy grinned.

The sun was brighter than expected when they stepped off the train and onto the platform where an older man stood with a cane and a pipe. His hair had long ago lost its colouring and he had two small, beady, black eyes which were squinted under his large spectacles. He looked as if he was expecting them and immediately asked, "Charlotte and Hope?" when they emerged.

"Y-yes," Hope answered shyly moving towards Charlotte.

"Right, come with me," he said turning around and walking towards his car.

"Will we be staying with you then?" Charlotte asked examining her tag, "You're Mr… Kembler?"

"I am," he said without turning around, "Come on, lunch will already be on the table."

"Alright," she shrugged looking back at the train where Peter and Edmund looked out. "Don't look at the window."

And of course when someone tells you not to look at something your first reaction is to look at it.

"Why?" Hope said turning to see Edmund's freckle spotted face and soft brown eyes.

"Told you."

Hope spun back around, "Yep, thanks for that."

"Sure," she nodded as they put their trunks in the back and jumped in along side them.

The house that they arrived at only a few moments later, was in walking distance of the tracks and the tracks would have been considered a paradise compared to their new home. It was tired and the roof looked like it was about to slide off the walls. The paint, well what was left of it, was peeling off the house and there was not a blade of grass in the yard, it was all moss grown in the shadows of the tall and leaning willow trees.

When the car pulled to a stop and Mr. Kembler got out Charlotte and Hope hesitated a moment before taking their bags in hand and took a step towards the house.

Charlotte almost seemed intrigued by it, but Hope, well she wasn't all to thrilled. It looked like nothing she had ever seen before, she almost felt that it was almost evil looking, like a witch's house or something.

"Well," said Mr. Kembler holding the door open.

Hope followed Charlotte in and found that the inside wasn't all too promising in its upkeep, but in its care showed that its owners loved it very much. The rugs, covering all the floors of the house, were threadbare, but clean, and the furniture that sat in rather odd places had the finish worn off on, but at the same time polished and tended to. Plus there was a strong scent of some sort of wonderful smelling stew that wafted through the home.

"Mmm," Charlotte grinned walking from Hope to follow her nose.

Hope, after looking around once more, trailing Charlotte into the kitchen where four bowls sat on the counter being filled with a creamy white soup by an older woman with white hair tied back in a tight bun. Her face showed a certain kindness in the past you could trace through her wrinkles and twinkly blue eyes.

"What are you making?" Charlotte smiled looking into the bowls without hesitation.

"Oh, you have a good nose," smiled the woman.

"Thank you," she replied peering at the cutting board holding carrot slices along with several other vegetables, spices, and a carton of milk.

"This is an old family recipe," she said patting Charlotte on the back.

"Yum," she mumbled picking up a bowl.

"Help yourself."

She smiled and sat down at the table as the woman asked, "Isn't there supposed to be another?"

Hope stepped up and cleared her throat.

"Oh, you're so quiet I didn't even notice you. Here, sit, sit," the woman said sitting her down beside Charlotte and giving her a bowl.

"Thank you, Ma'am."

She smiled and called that lunch was ready to her husband.

Mr. Kembler walked in and sat next to his wife with a grin that the two children had never seen before and after they were finished eating took them up to their rooms which were surprisingly well kept. "My daughters slept in here before they got married, hope you feel at home."

Hope didn't think that this seemed possible, even though Charlotte seemed to fit right in to this life style.

* * *

The next night

"Lucy?" Edmund called trenching through the snow, "Lucy! I think I believe you now!"

There was still now response, how big could this wardrobe possibly be? It had to end somewhere, but it didn't seem to. He could see the grey sky and the horizon, it didn't make any sense.

Edmund rubbed his hands together, it was awfully cold to be inside, and snowflakes fell from the sky, the only possible explanation was in fact that it was a magical land as insane as that might have sounded.

"Lucy?!" Edmund called again, still nothing. Maybe she had know where she was going, after all she'd been here before so she'd know the way to… who was it, Mr… Tumnus? Yeah, that sounded right.

He glanced over his shoulder and found that he couldn't see the wardrobe anymore, now he was in some deep trouble. His heart leapt into his throat and he spun around in the snow wondering if he had even come from that way, but this only made him even more confused.

Edmund sighed when suddenly his ears were filled with a ringing sound, but not the ringing of silence, the ringing of bells, there was someone else here. He turned to face the noise and fell backwards upon seeing a sleigh being pulled by several white reindeer almost right on top of him.

The sleigh kept moving past him, but came to a stop around ten feet away and a small, well Edmund really wasn't sure what it was, jumped out of the sleigh with a large pole with a rope on the end of it holding a heavy rock in place. It was very small, a few inches shy of Lucy's height; it had a long greying beard, with stubby arms in which it held a daggered and gnarled teeth and a furry red hat.

Edmund swallowed hard and scrambled to his feet but the tiny creature whipped the pole around so it wrapped around his legs and sent him tumbling to the ground as it jumped on top of him and he heard something from the sleigh it had come from.

"What is it now, Ginabrrik?" asked the slightly irritated female voice.

"Tell him to let me go!" Edmund pleaded, "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"How dare you address the Queen of Narnia?!" growled Ginabrrik pressing a dagger to his throat.

Edmund's eyes widened, if he wasn't going to be killed before he most certainly was now, "I-I didn't know!"

Ginabrrik now looked outraged, "You'll know about her here after!" he barked raising the dagger.

"Wait," said the female voice, and there in front of him stood a tall and beautiful woman with a white crown and dress, pale skin, and an icy presence about her.

Ginabrrik slowly got off Edmund as the Queen of Narnia asked, "What is your name, Son of Adam?"

"E-Edmund," he muttered disregarding the second part of the statement.

"And how, Edmund, did you come to enter my dominion?" she asked, her tone as bone chilling as ice.

"I-I don't know, I was just following my sister-."

"You sister? How many of there are you?"

"Four, but Lucy's the only one who's been here before. She met some faun anmed... Tumnus."

Suddenly a smile crept over her face and she said in a tone she hadn't used before, "Edmund, you look so cold; won't you come and have a seat with me?"

He looked down at the dwarf, still snarling, and follow the queen to her sleigh where she smiled softly and said, "Now, how about something hot to drink?"

"Yes please… your majesty," Edmund said as she took a small green vial and poured only a drop out onto the snow, and he watched as instantaneously something grew from the ground. But it wasn't a flower, nor was it a plant of any kind, it was a fine glass cup dressed it bright silver and gems, filled with hot chocolate.

Then the Dwarf picked it up and handed it to him saying, "Your drink, Sire."

"How did you do that?" Edmund asked taking a sip.

"I can make anything you like," she assured.

Edmund hesitated for a moment as a grin creased his lips and he asked, "Can you make someone fall in love with me?"

The queen chuckled, "Anything you'd like to eat."

"Oh…" he said slightly disappointed, "… Turkish Delight?"

She poured another drop into the snow where a metal container of Turkish Delight formed and was handed up to him.

"Edmund," she said after he had begun to eat, "I would very much like to meet the rest of your family."

"… Why?" he said looking up, "They're nothing special."

"Oh, I'm sure not, but you see I have no children of my own, and you're the kind of boy I could see becoming Prince of Narnia one day, maybe even king."

"Really?" Edmund said with his mouth full.

She nodded, "And of course you'd have to bring your family."

"Oh… does that mean Peter will be king too?"

"No, no, but a king needs servants."

"W-well," he smiled, "I guess I could bring them."

"Good, now beyond those woods," she said pointing upwards, "do you see those two hills? My house is right between there. You'd love it there Edmund, it has whole rooms simply stuffed with Turkish Delight."

"Couldn't I have some more now?" he asked standing up.

"No!" she scowled making him drawback slightly. Then her face broke into a smile again, "Don't want to ruin your appetite."

He nodded and got down off the sleigh.

"I'm going to miss you Edmund," she sighed, "But we will see each other soon."

"I hope so," he grinned.

"Until then, dear one," the Queen of Narnia grinned driving off leaving Edmund alone.

Suddenly there was a rustle in the bushes to his left and he spun to see his sister walking out from the brush.

"Edmund?" Lucy said hugging him, "Edmund! You got in too! Isn't it wonderful!"

Edmund muttered something trying to peel his sister off of himself.

"I saw Mr. Tumnus again! He's fine, the White Witch hasn't found out anything."

"White Witch?" he asked slightly cocking his head.

Lucy leaned in as if telling him a dark secret and said, "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia, but she really isn't."

Edmund now realized who he had been talking to, but figured she couldn't be all that bad, Lucy was probably over exaggerating again.

"Are you alright?" she asked, "You look awful."

"Well what do you expect, it's freezing," he snapped, "How do you get out of here?"

"Come on," she sighed taking his hand and leaning him back through the wood.

**_Well everyone, this is the next chapter, I was a little ify about atually putting this one up so teel me what you think._**

**_Tennessee_**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Lion, The Witch, and The New Hope**

**Chapter Four**

**Tennessee**

Hope lay on her back staring at the ceiling without anything to do but wonder where Charlotte was. She'd disappeared more than a half hour ago, how long did it take one to go and get a glass of water? She sighed and smelled the air, growing in the scent of something cooking, she must have been cooking again, and that's all she had yesterday to.

Hope loved Charlotte like a sister, but the two never seemed to think alike, Hope was somewhat shy in certain situations, but could be funny and entertaining when she know you, while Charlotte was a bright as the moon on a clear night, but she was almost always doing something adventurous or silly when she wasn't supposed to be, she lacked a certain essence of common sense.

Like the time they were studying for two separate tests, Hope's was on literature, while Charlotte's had been in her music class. When pacing the halls Hope had asked something about the characters and Charlotte asked, "Did it like music?"

"… I don't know," she had responded.

"Wait, what are we talking about?" she asked with a confused face. Then she had proceeded to laugh without knowing why, it was like she was constantly having a mental breakdown, she'd hyperventilate and make sort of a chuckling crying sound when she was confused, it was rather entertaining. But sometimes she'd have these weird little episodes of almost evil, it was not normal, however, from time to time she'd go off on random rants about how something like power or just plain being in charge. It didn't occur often, but when it did it was one of those times to put you hands up as if saying don't shoot, and walk away.

But not Hope, she was boring to those that kept their distance from her, which, thanks to Edmund, hadn't been a lot of people. More had joined in talking to her now that she knew more about the outside world. Still at sometimes when she was working hard or just not in the mood for fun, she'd snap and start yelling. Edmund usually knew when this was coming so would either back off, or back away physically, which might make her laugh on a good day.

Hope sighed and got up off her bed putting her shoes on as she moved to her suitcase. It was empty with the exception of one very princess looking dress, but it was all she had, so she put it on and walked down the stairs to find Charlotte at the stove with a sizzling pan in one hand and in the other a wooden spoon she was stirring the contents of a pot with. She was dressed it a button down shirt and a plaid skirt with knee socks drooped around her ankles, and a floral apron covered her front down to about her knee.

"Hello," Hope said sitting down at the table as Charlotte walked over with a bowl of newly washed apples and put them in front of her.

"Hullo," Charlotte grinned returning to the stove as Hope bit into a red apple and picked up a green one.

"How far away are the Pevensies?" she asked.

"Just about a mile down the track," the cook replied moving to another burner and turning it down slightly, "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing, just that maybe we could visit them."

She wiped her hands on a dishtowel and muttered, "Well I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea. Just take the apples."

"For them?" she said standing up with the basket of apples in hand.

"No, I'm hungry," Charlotte shrugged and trotted off down the hall and returned a few moments later saying, "Mr. Kembler said it was okay."

"What'd you ask?"

"If we could go outside, and technically we are, so let's go."

Hope grinned and ran out the screen door, basket in hand, the best and shiniest green apple on the top for Edmund.

After about forty-five minutes of walking she realized just how hot it was to be wearing the dress she was in under the sun on the tracks. The sewing kit that Charlotte had work wonders with had been lost in the bombing and she hadn't gotten another one, that meant what you had was what you got.

She pulled the emerald green material off her ankles and groaned, "How much further?"

"Right down that driveway," she replied pointing to a dirt road next to a platform.

"Good," she sighed.

They continued to walk until they came over a small grassy hill and could hear Peter's voice in the distance, they smiled and raced over to see Lucy reading a book under the tree to the left of them and the other three playing cricket, with Peter pitching, Edmund hitting, and Susan catching.

"Charlotte! Hope!" exclaimed Lucy jumping up to hug them.

Edmund turned to look at them and Peter hit him in the shoulder with the cricket ball, before realizing why he had looked up.

"OW!"

Peter shrugged, "Sorry," as Susan walked up the hill, while Edmund sprinted towards Hope, grabbed her wrist and dragged her back down the hill.

Hope needed to skip steps just to keep from falling over her dress.

"Here, stand here," he told her standing her behind him, "Susan! You've been replaced!" he shouted up.

She scowled and went to go sit with Charlotte and Lucy under the tree.

"You look sort of like a princess," he smiled.

"Don't remind me," she groaned.

"No… it's a good thing," he nodded with something unfolding in his head, something that Hope couldn't read.

"… Hungry?" asked Hope offering Edmund the basket.

"Thanks," he said taking the green one and shoving it into his pocket for later. She then set the basket down as Edmund muttered under his breath, "I've got something to show you," right when Peter let the ball go.

"OW! Hey!" Edmund glared.

"Wake up Dolly Daydream," Peter laughed.

"Why can't we just play hide-and-seek again?" he asked causing Hope to raise and eyebrow.

"I thought you said it was a kid's game," Peter said as Hope threw him the ball and he got ready to throw it. "You ready then?"

"Are you?" he growled hitting his bat on the ground as the ball was let go and wacked upwards by Edmund.

All six watched it fly up into the air, heading straight for the stained-glass window, and smash and more smashing inside, like it has hit something.

Hope covered her astonished smile with her hand as they all stared at it. Charlotte let out an overwhelmed chuckle and walked over to Peter and said, "Now what do we do?"

He groaned and ran into the house with the others following.

"Well done, Ed," Peter said looking down at a smashed window and a fallen suit of armour once they had reached where the ball had flown through the window.

"You bowled it!" Edmund scowled.

Suddenly there was a tromping on the stairs and extremely angry voice shouting for the children.

"The Macready!" Susan panicked.

"Run!" Edmund yelled and they all took off up another set of stairs.

"Wait, why are we running?" Hope asked as Charlotte pulled her along.

"… I don't know…. I like running," she smiled.

They dashed up the stairs, then around a corner where Lucy tried to open one of the doors but found it locked.

"Back, back, back!" Edmund shouted pushing them up another hallway like he knew exactly where he was taking them.

"Where're we going?" Hope asked as she followed Edmund into another room and where he stopped in front of a large wooden wardrobe near the back wall and flung it open.

"Come on," he said getting in.

Hope was thoroughly confused now, "Why are we going into the closet?" she asked.

"You've got to be joking," Susan frowned.

"W-what?" stuttered Charlotte.

Suddenly the tromping on the stairs grew louder and Peter ran forward taking Charlotte by the arm and pushing her into the wardrobe behind Edmund and Hope followed by Susan, Lucy, and then himself.

"Stop pushing!"

"You're on my toe!"

"I'm not on your toe!"

"Will you stop shoving!"

"… I like cows."

"Charlotte, shut up."

And then they fell into something they hadn't seen in over four months, it was snow, snow that covered their faces and clothing in small flakes. Not only that but it also covered the ground, and the trees, and just about everything in sight, including the miles that sat beyond them.

"Aw dude!" Charlotte exclaimed looking around causing the others too just stare at her, "… What?"

"T-this is impossible," Susan mumbled.

"Don't worry," Lucy smiled stepping aside, "I'm it's just you imagination."

"I don't suppose saying we're sorry would quite cover it," Peter sighed.

"No, it wouldn't," she then smiled and threw a snowball at him, "But that might."

He laughed and threw one back at her, Susan and Charlotte joining in too, Hope was a little more sceptical.

"What is going on?!" she finally snapped causing everyone to freeze and Edmund to turn to look at her, breaking his gaze on the mountains.

"…" Peter looked around, "… We don't really know."

"Maybe we should go back," Susan cut in.

"Kill joy," muttered Charlotte.

"S-shouldn't we at least take a look around?" Edmund asked pulling Hope towards him.

"I think Lucy should decide," Peter said.

"I'd like you all to meet Mr. Tumnus."

"Then Mr. Tumnus it is."

"_WHO_ is Mr. Tumnus?!" Hope cried loudly.

"He's a faun," Lucy grinned.

"That's not possible."

"Everything here is impossible."

"Come on," Edmund smiled, "Have a sense of adventure."

"I do it's just-"

"Coward."

"… Don't do that."

"You're a chicken!"

"Stop, alright, I'll go," she sighed.

"But we can't go hiking in the snow dressed like this," Susan objected.

"No," Peter said walking into the wardrobe and then coming back out with an arm load of winter coats, "but I don't think the professor will mind if we borrow some of these. And if you think about it _logically_ we are not even taking them out of the wardrobe," he said handing Hope and Edmund two women's coats.

"But that's a girl's coat," Edmund argued.

"I know."

Hope laughed and threw hers over her shoulders while Edmund grumbled and pulled his on.

"Gee Edmund, you look really huggable like in that thing," she joked.

He sighed, almost wishing that she hadn't been joking and shoved his hands in his pockets as they continued following Lucy through the wood and down a large slope, on which almost everyone slipped several times and fell part of the way down.

"Where are we?" she asked after sometime.

"Narnia."

"… What's Narnia?"

"I think it's a magical land, they have this queen and she wants me to be the prince."

"But what about the others?"

"You can't tell them. Swear?"

"Cross my heart and swear to die."

"-and we'll have lot and lot of lovely food," Lucy rambled as the walked around the bottom of a rather tall cliff and a door in the mountain became visible, but something didn't look right about it, it almost looked broken in.

Lucy gasped and ran forward everyone chasing her in.

Inside was just about the most miserable sight any of them had ever seen, furniture was over turned and ripped open, books were torn in half and their expensive leather bindings littered the floor along with smashed cups and broken glass. Edmund, the last in, found himself stepping on a picture of a faun, he thought, but it was hard to make out seeing as the face was scratched across by three large claw marks.

Peter seemed to have spotted something on the wall so walked over, pulled down a message, and read out loud, "The Former occupant of these premises, the Faun Tumnus, is under arrest and awaiting his trial on a charge of High Treason against her imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, also to comforting her said Majesty's enemies, harboring spies and fraternizing with Humans. Signed Maugrim, captain of the Secret Police, Long live the Queen."

"Let me see," Charlotte said reaching for the paper.

"Here," Peter replied looking down at Lucy, who looked just about ready to cry.

"Alright, now we really should go," Susan said in a worried voice.

"But we have to help Mr. Tumnus," Lucy pleaded.

"It's out of our hands Lu."

"He was arrested just for being with a human," Susan cut in, "I not sure there's anything we can do."

"You don't understand do you? I'm the human, he was taken for helping me."

"What's with the paw print?" Charlotte asked holding the paper up to the light.

Peter ignored her, "Maybe we can call the police."

"These are the police," Susan stated coldly.

"Why?" Edmund cut in, everyone turned with nasty looks, "I mean, he's a criminal."

"Don't worry Lu, we'll think of something."

"Did you hear that," Charlotte suddenly asked, looking out the door to where a small bird sat on a snow covered branch, "Listen."

"Psst!"

"That bird, it's telling us to come outside," she said.

"How would you know that?" Susan asked.

Charlotte shrugged and walked out with everyone following her. The bird chirped eagerly and flew. "Aw…. It flew…."

But now there was a different sound, sort of a rustling sound in the bushes. Lucy, Peter, Charlotte, and Susan all huddled together as Edmund and Hope did the same in their own separate group, well it was more Edmund looking for an excuse to cling to Hope, and her to him.

They all took a step backwards when the rustling got louder and out jumped a small creature with brown fur, a rodent like face, and a flat leathery tail.

"I-it's a beaver," Lucy muttered as Peter stuck out a hand while clicking his tongue and saying, "Here boy, come on."

The beaver inched forward and then stood up on its haunches while watching Peter carefully and _said,_ "Well I'm not going to smell it if that's what you want."

Lucy giggled, Charlotte smiled, Susan's eyes widened, and Peter managed an, "Oh… I'm sorry."

The beaver then looked at Lucy and said, "Lucy Pevensie?"

"Y-yes?" she mumbled.

The beaver held out a white handkerchief for her to take.

"I gave this to Mr.-"

"Tumnus," he nodded, "Got it to me right before they took him."

"Is he alright?"

The beaver glanced around and said, "Further in," and walked off with Peter, Charlotte, and Lucy following.

"What are you doing," snapped Susan grabbing Peter by the arm.

"She's right," said Edmund while Hope nodded, "How do we know we can trust him?"

"… He said he knew the faun," Peter shrugged.

"He's a beaver, he shouldn't be _saying_ anything!"

"Everything alright?" asked the beaver peering over the large rock it had disappeared behind.

"Yes," Peter answered, "We were just talking."

"Better left for safer corners," he said vanishing from view again.

"He means the trees," Lucy said looking upward.

"Oh," murmured Charlotte touching the bark of one, "Hello?" but she was pulled away by Susan as they began following the beaver, far into the wood and even beyond, to the point where the sun was dipping, no said a word.

Lucy finally spoke up when they reached a small pond frozen solid with a wooden beaver dam sitting in the middle.

"It's lovely," she smiled.

"Merely a trifle, not quite finished with it yet," Mr. Beaver grinned.

"Right up there," Edmund whispered to Hope pointing to the space between the mountains as they walked down onto the ice.

"Beaver? Is that you?" called a female voice and a beaver that defiantly looked a bit more feminine stepped from the dam, "If I find out you been with badger again I-" she stopped short upon seeing the six children, "Oh! … Those aren't badgers."

Mr. Beaver smiled and went to stand beside Mrs. Beaver as she scowled under her breath, "Look at my fur! You couldn't give me ten minutes warning?"

"I'd given you a week if I thought it'd of helped," he chuckled.

She then looked up at the humans, "Well you must be hungry, we'll see if we can't get you some food, and some civilized company."

"Food?" Charlotte smiled following Mrs. Beaver inside and everyone else behind her, except Edmund and Hope, who were looking over their shoulders at the mountains.

"Enjoying the scenery, are we?" asked Mr. Beaver, and both shook their heads and went inside.

"Isn't there a way to help Mr. Tumnus?" Peter asked once they had sat down and Mrs. Beaver was making something for them to eat.

"Well they'll take him to the witch's house," Mr. Beaver said taking a sip from his mug, "And you know what they say, there're few that go through those doors that come out again."

"Fish and chips?" snapped Mrs. Beaver to shut her husband up, "But there is hope dear, lots of hope."

"Oh, yeah!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed to try and catch himself, "There's a right bit more than hope! … Aslan's on the move."

There was a moment of silence in which puzzled faces came over all.

"Who's Aslan?" Edmund asked for everyone.

Beaver laughed, "You silly little blither! …. You really don't know, do you?"

Peter spoke up, "Well we haven't exactly been here very long."

"Well he's only the top geezer… the ruler of the whole wood, the true king of Narnia!"

"He's been away for a long while," Mrs. Beaver nodded.

"But he's just got back! And he's waiting for you by the stone table!"

"Waiting for us?" Charlotte asked biting into her fish and chips.

"You're blooming joking!" Mr. Beaver shouted, "They don't even know about the prophecy!"

"Well," Mrs. Beaver said as if telling him to tell them.

"There's a prophecy, when Adam's flesh and Adam's bone, sits upon Cair Paravel's throne, the evil time will be over and done."

"That doesn't really rhyme," Susan stated.

"Well you're kind of missing the point."

"The sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve are the ones to restore peace to Narnia."

"A-and you think we're the ones?" Peter asked.

"Well you better be because Aslan's already fitting out your army!"

"An army?" exclaimed Charlotte, almost seeming delighted.

"Mom sent us away so we wouldn't get caught up in a war," Susan argued.

"You're making a mistake, we're not heroes!"

"It's time we were getting home."

"Thank you for your hospitality."

"You can't just leave!" exclaimed Mr. Beaver.

"But we need to help Mr. Tumnus!" pleaded Lucy.

"It's out of our hands Lucy. Come on Ed-" Peter began but found that the places that had been stood in by Edmund and Hope were empty.

"Madam's going to be so mad when she finds out!" Charlotte said putting her hand on her forehead.

"Ed? I'm going to kill him!" Peter scowled.

"You may not have to," said Beaver, "Has Edmund ever been to Narnia before?"

**_Okay I'm working on the next chapter, so tell me what you think of this one!_**

**_Tennessee_**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**The Lion, The Witch, and The New Hope**

**Tennessee**

Charlotte had bolted from the house first, ahead of the others and was now only a few minutes behind Edmund and Hope as they neared the top of the hill.

"Come on, not that much farther," Edmund said as Hope hiked up the slope behind him, her opened toed shoes not doing her any good, not to mention the fact that her coat was at the dam.

"We're going to die out here," she shivered.

"Way to be positive."

"I'm not trying to be positive, I'm trying to be truthful."

"Look, it's right across this lake," he said as she reached the top of the hill and she came to stand beside him.

"That doesn't look… good," she said watching the palace, huge and looked as if made of ice, glowing blue and green with the lights from inside.

"Why?"

"Just look at it. I-it looks like a witch's home or something."

Edmund shifted uncomfortably, still wanting to believe this, Queen of Narnia was a good person who would solve all him problems.

"Don't be silly, she's the queen."

"Fine, I trust you," she shrugged huddling close to him to keep warm.

Again he moved uncomfortably, not wanting to let her down, "Let's just go."

They continued across the lake and through the doors into what might have been just about as cheery as a graveyard, lined with statues of Narnias, all screaming as if close to death.

"This isn't weird at all," Hope said sarcastically as the moved past a stone giant and a tiger frozen in midair.

"Come on," he said as they moved up a set of very steep steps of ice.

"Hang on," Hope muttered holding a hand in front of Edmund and pointing at a large wolf like shape lying in the path.

"… I think it's a statue…" he shrugged going to step over it and soon discovering it was far from dead.

There was a heart stopping barking growl and the _statue_ leapt from the snow and pinned Edmund to the ground.

Hope shrieked as it bore its teeth and snarled, "Be still stranger! Or you'll never move again! Who are you?"

"I'm Edmund," he panicked, "I met the Queen in the woods, she told me to back here, I'm a son of Adam!"

The wolf then stepped off his chest and looked at pale faced Hope saying, "My apologies, fortunate favorites of the Queen… or else, not so fortunate."

The two exchanged nervous glances and followed him farther into the castle, until they came to a large throne room with an extravagant throne of ice sitting at the top of a set of stairs.

"Wait here," the wolf ordered, then turned and trotted up around the side of the stairs and into another room.

"Come on," Edmund smiled taking Hope by the hand and running up to the top and sitting down in the throne.

"Ed!" she whispered, "I don't think you should being doing that."

"What are you, Peter?"

"I don't like this place, it creeps me out; I feel like I'm in that horror movie we went to see."

"Oh yeah… forget about that, we're going to be royalty now!"

"… I don't know," she murmured suddenly stepping down somewhat as she watched a woman with an icy presence and cold eyes walked up beside the chair.

"Get out of the chair," Hope mouthed quickly.

Edmund cocked his head.

"Like it?" the woman asked causing him to jump up and back away so he stood next to Hope.

"Um… yes… you Majesty."

"I thought you might," she grinned.

A chill like none Hope had ever felt before ran down her spine when the Queen looked over at her. Right away she seemed to know that she was not Edmund's sister.

"Tell me Edmund," the Queen said sitting down, "Are you're sisters deaf?"

Edmund scoffed, "No."

"And your brother, is he… unintelligent?"

"Well I think so, but Mum-" he began.

"Then how DARE you come ALONE!" she screamed getting back to her feet and walking towards him.

Hope grabbed his sleeve and began trying to pull him backwards, but as she did that same wolf appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"I tried," he said quickly, "They just don't listen to me."

"Edmund I ask so little of you, and you couldn't even do that!"

"Don't say it," Hope thought as Edmund opened his mouth, but he did anyway.

"We did bring them half way though…. They're at the little dam, the house of the beavers!"

"…. Well I guess you're not a total loss then," she muttered, then turned to Hope, "You're not really worth keeping though."

Hope's eyes widened.

"… We'll see what information you hold anyway."

Ginabrrik, who had been standing behind the queen now stepped forward and jabbed a blade into Edmund's back and took Hope's long braid in the other.

"Maugrim!" shouted the witch, and the wolf stepped forward, "You know what to do."

"I'm going to die!" Charlotte wept a few minutes later when she reached the castle. She held her breath and entered, looking back to the edges of the lake where the others stood. They didn't look as if they were coming, she wondered why for only a second and then took a step into the courtyard looking around. There were statues everywhere, but not the statues you would expect to find in a normal palace courtyard, these were horrible creatures that looked in pain in the form of stones.

"Hope?" she hissed, there was no response. "Edmund?" still nothing.

Charlotte suddenly jumped as something cracked underfoot, it was a pile of burned sticks. She chuckled to herself and picked one up, then leaned over to a statue of one of the lionesses and drew a mustache and glasses on it.

But her excuse for joy didn't last long, as soon her ears were filled with a terrible howling sound, followed by snarling barks.

"Oh, my, God!" she screamed taking off for the doors of the palace and running out onto the ice, "Run! Run! Run!" she shouted to the others as the wolves burst through the doors.

Peter's eyes widened as Charlotte caught up with them, bringing the wolves with her.

"What did you do?!" Susan panted as they raced down the hill and towards the dam.

"I didn't do anything; I was just trying to help!" Charlotte replied as the barking became louder.

"Stop arguing!" Peter snapped pushing them into the dam as the howling came to a stop, but not for long.

"Take them," Maugrim said to his wolves, looking down at the dam from the edges of the pond.

"Hurry Mother they're after us!" shouted Mr. Beaver running into the house.

"Oh! Right then," and Mrs. Beaver began opening cabinets and pulling out sealed jars and nonperishable items.

"What's she doing?" Susan asked at the barking began again.

"You'll be thanking me later," she replied, "It's a long journey and Beaver gets pretty cranky when he's hungry."

"I'm cranky now!"

"Jam?" Charlotte said quickly, filling her arms with just about every food item she could get, "Think we'll need it?"

"Only if the witch serves toast!" scoffed Peter.

There was a scratching at the roof and part caved in, several wolves, one of which being Maugrim dropped in and looked around the empty dam.

"Badger and me dug this, comes up right near his place," Mr. Beaver informed them as they tore through the tunnels under their dam.

"You told me it lead to your Mum's," Mrs. Beaver scowled.

Lucy's foot was abruptly snagged on a root and she tumbled forward, there was a second of silence as she got back up, in which all heard the barking louder than ever. "They're in the tunnels," she whispered getting up.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat and they ran farther into the tunnels until they reached an opening in the ground which Mr. and Mrs. Beaver crawled up out of, followed by Lucy, Susan, Charlotte, and Peter, who covered the exit up with a large wooden barrel, then looked up to see why everyone was so quiet. They were just as still and silent as the statues that lined this yard turned graveyard. Small animal statues stood quietly collecting snow, all of which wore terribly frightened faces, one in particular seemed to peek Beaver's interest.

"H-he was my best mate," he said walking over to a stone figure of a badger.

"I'm so sorry, dear" sighed Mrs. Beaver putting a hand on the shoulder of her husband.

"What happened here," Peter said fearfully.

"This is what comes of those who cross the witch," said a new voice in this game, and from the roof of one of the small houses jumped a fox with perked ears, and a twitching tail.

"Traitor!" Mr. Beaver shouted trying to break free of his wife's grasp on his shoulder, "Take one more step and I'll chew you to splinters!"

"Relax," it chuckled, "I'm one of the good guys."

"Yeah? Well you look an awful lot like one of the bad ones!"

"An unfortunate family resemblance I'm afraid, but we can argue breeding later. Right now we've got to move."

"What did you have in mind?" Peter asked as the barks became closer and closer to them.

With one final flick of its tail the fox covered up the last of the human's footprints and was instantly surrounded by circling wolves.

"Greetings gents," it grinned, "Lost something have we?"

"Don't patronize me," Maugrim snarled, "I know where you allegiance lies…. We're looking for some humans!"

The fox scoffed, "Humans, here in Narnia? That's a valuable piece of information, don't you think?" he smiled as a large white colored wolf caught him in its mouth. He yelped and fell limp in its jaws.

Lucy, sitting up in the trees gasped and three hands flew to her mouth.

"Your reward is your life. It's not much, but still…. Where are the fugitives?" Maugrim barked, his patience wearing thin.

The fox looked around hopelessly, then hung its head in shame and said, "North… they ran north."

"Smell them out," he growled and they all ran off noses in the air as the fox was tossed into the snow, trying to get up, but failing.

Everyone in the tree looked down upon the mangled body, unmoving.

"Oh," Charlotte murmured stepping down onto a lower branch, and a lower one still until she was on the ground.

"Is he dead?" Peter asked quietly stepping down also, with the others behind him.

"… No, not dead," she replied without looking up as Mrs. Beaver trotted through telling some one to make a fire and she'd see if she could do anything.

About a half hour later a warm fire kept them all rather cozy, when the fox came around.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked as Mrs. Beaver tended to his wounds.

"Well I wish I could say their bark was worse than their bite- OW!" he yelped.

"Stop squirming," Mrs. Beaver scolded, "You're worse than beaver on bath day."

"Worst day of the year," he shuddered.

"Well," said the fox, "I'm afraid that's all the cure I have time for."

"You're leaving?" Lucy asked as he got to his feet.

"It has been an honor and a pleasure my Queen, but I must go. Aslan _himself_ has asked me to gather more troops for the army."

"You've seen Aslan!" smiled the Beavers, "Oh what's he like?!"

"Like everything we've ever heard. You'll be glad to have him on your side while fighting against the witch."

"We're not planning on fighting any witch," Susan replied grimly.

"But surely, King Peter," he said hopefully.

"We just want our brother back," Peter replied looking at his feet.

Hope sat shivering, staring at her feet, trying very hard to shun a very guilty looking Edmund, who was also watching his feet, but sometimes stealing glances at her. She didn't even want to look at him as much as she needed to. He wasn't worthy of her glances though, he had betrayed his family and her only friend, well now that Edmund had done this.

"Hope…?" he asked quietly.

"I don't want to talk to you," she snapped looking in the other direction.

"But why not?" he asked shifting his feet, which caused the chains to clank loudly.

"Because you sold them out! Don't you see anything wrong with that?"

"You think I wanted this to happen," he growled.

"You didn't answer my question. Don't you see anything wrong with what you've done?"

"… They could be killed," he murmured quietly.

"If they aren't already," she finished.

"… But I just wanted you to-"

"Leave me alone," she muttered coldly.

Edmund sighed angrily and shoved his hands in his pockets and discovering that he still had the apple from that morning, although now it was bruised and slightly cut up and abused looking. He put it on the ground and rolled it over to Hope.

She looked up and slowly took it from the ground.

"… Hungry?" he tried to manage a smile that was near as bright as hers but nothing could be as cheery as that.

"… Thanks," she sniffled in an Edmund like tone, "Are you sure you don't want it?"

"No," he lied looking down at a small square of bread that almost seemed green, "I'm all set." He picked it up and bit into it, causing him to gag and spit it back out and reach for the metal cup on the tray but found it frozen solid.

"Really?" he grumbled to himself tossing it down on the tray.

"I'll split it with you," Hope chuckled as Edmund proceeded to try and scrape his taste buds right off just so he wouldn't have to taste the awful flavor.

"Please," he muttered between gags then pushed the plate away so it slid on the ice to the other side of the cell.

"I-if you're not going to eat that…" said a weak voice from the next cell.

Edmund and Hope's heads both snapped up to look into the next holding area where a creature lay, thin and withering. Both drew back slightly when they saw that his legs were goat like and furry while tiny horns came from the top of his head; they knew what it was almost instantly, but hoped it wasn't who they thought it was.

Edmund looked around and picked the piece of bread up off his plate and handed it to the faun which pulled himself over to them seeing as his feet were chained together.

"I'd get up, but my legs," he said trying to manage a grin as Edmund handed over the mold which suddenly became a feast to him.

"… Mr. Tumnus?" Hope tried glancing over at Ed.

"What's left of him," he replied also looking at Edmund, his nose in particular. "You're Lucy Pevensie's brother," he said in an almost shocked tone.

"I'm Edmund," he nodded trying to make eye contact with the faun.

"Y-yes, you have the same nose," Mr. Tumnus smiled.

"That's Hope," Edmund said pointing to her.

"I _can_ talk, Ed," she stated.

"Right."

"Is you're sister alright?" Mr. Tumnus asked as barking could be heard above their heads. "Is she safe?"

"… I don't know," he said with a slight shiver.

The doors were suddenly flung open and the witch walked in madder that ever, shouting, "My police tore that dam apart! You're little family is nowhere to be found!" She then stormed over to Edmund and picked him right off the ground by his collar growling, "Where are they?!"

"I don't know," he said in panic.

She scoffed then threw him back down and took hold of Hope's long braid and dragged her away from Edmund. Hope shrieked in pain while he went to reach for her but found his chains were not long enough.

"Then you are no longer useful," said the White Witch pointing her staff at the teary eyed girl, who looked back at Edmund who immediately spoke up.

"W-wait!" he shouted, the witch turned sharply, "The beavers said something about Aslan!"

She stopped as Hope crawled hurriedly back to Edmund and Mr. Tumnus looked up.

"Where? Where is Aslan?"

"They're strangers here you're majesty," said the faun quickly, "They can't be expected to know anything."

Ginabrrik scowled and bashed him in the side of the head with the butt of his axe.

"I said, where is Aslan?"

Hope glanced over at Mr. Tumnus and answered, "We don't know. We left before they said anything."

"We wanted to see you," Edmund said to catch himself.

"Guard!" she shouted looking at both with disgust. A large troll creature stepped through the door, as she said, "Release the faun."

The guard walked into Mr. Tumnus cell and smashed his chains, then dragged him in and threw him in front of her.

"Do you know why you're here faun?" she snapped.

"Because I believe… in a free Narnia," he replied with hatred in his voice.

The White Witch raised and eyebrow and pointed at Edmund with her staff. "You're here because he turned you in… for sweeties."

Mr. Tumnus looked up at them like he would have wanted to kill them, almost looking disappointed, like he had expected something better.

"Take him upstairs," said the witch when Edmund looked fully disturbed by this. "… And ready my sleigh, Edmund misses his family."

**_Alright the new chapter! Anyway, you know the drill, please review. I hope you enjoyed it :P_**

**_Tennessee_**


	6. Chapter 6

**The Lion, The Witch, and The New Hope**

**Chapter Six**

**Tennessee**

"Don't you ever get tired of being a maid?" Lucy asked as the four continued over the white snowy landscape that was Narnia. The trees that had been standing around them had now vanished, revealing a very large cliff and a steep sloping hill of snow they needed to go down in order to get to the barren horizon.

"Not really," Charlotte replied then looked down at her black and white maid's uniform that she hadn't had a chance to change out of, "I get to wear this cool outfit."

Lucy giggled and rested her chin on Peter's neck, considering she was already riding on his back. He sighed and kept walking under the weight of the almost ten year old.

"It makes you look like a penguin," she grinned as Peter took her down off his back saying, "You're getting heavy Lu."

"Or a cow… I love cows."

"Should I even ask why?" Susan asked, becoming irritable simply because of the cold.

"… I wouldn't," Charlotte said pulling her coat closed, "It's a long story… but the outcome is that I like cows."

"Just let it go," Peter said before Susan could respond.

"What sorts of things do maids do?" Lucy asked ignoring his siblings.

"Oh lots of things, we cook, I like food so normally I would eat some before it got to the table; we clean, not my favorite thing, but I do like things to be organized; we go shopping for the ladies of the house, I bought Hope all her sensible clothes; tend to the garden, I'm not much of a gardener though; and we do things like listen and pretend to care, or give advice… well I'm only joking, but I've helped Hope with many problems. Do you remember that dress she wore to the movies, Peter?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes, the time Edmund showed up to spy on us?" he replied coldly.

"That's the time. I made that dress from another she had lying around, so we need to know how to sew too."

"You do a lot," Lucy nodded.

"Oh yes, and that's just the beginning. We do whatever we're told to do… I guess I'm not a very good maid, but I like doing it."

"Was your Mum a maid too?" she asked.

Charlotte blinked hard, "… No, I don't recon she was."

"Why not? You're so good at it."

"… I don't know what she did."

"Why?"

"Lu," Peter interrupted, "You want to ride on my back again."

"Okay," she shrugged climbing up.

Peter groaned under the weight, but figured it was better than having Charlotte be tortured with questions about her family.

"Okay," said Mr. Beaver when they had reached the start of the down hill slope, "Aslan's at the Stone Table, which is right across the river."

"River?" asked Susan looking around for water, but finding only the large valley covered in snow.

"Oh the river's been frozen solid for a hundred years," smiled Mrs. Beaver pointing down at the valley. This was when Susan realized it wasn't a valley at all.

"… It's so far," Peter and Charlotte said at once, then glanced at each other with hard stares and looked away again.

"It's the world," she smiled, "Did you expect it to be small?"

"Smaller," Susan sighed.

Both Edmund and Hope were curled up in tight balls staring at their knees, praying that the witch had forgotten about them and they would just be left to die in here rather than watch their families be killed. But the sound of the dungeon doors opening and footsteps on the stairs told them that she had not forgotten, she had more than remembered.

Ginabrrik walked in holding his dagger and a key which he then unlocked their chains with and reattached new chains around their wrists saying, "Do not keep the queen waiting."

"She's not the queen," Hope growled as he locked hers, "She's a tyrant."

Edmund hissed to her, "Don't make him mad."

"What?" she asked whipped her head around so fast her long thick braid lifted from her shoulders and smacked the dwarf across the face.

"You arrogant little-!" Ginabrrik scowled taking his dagger in one hand and her braid in the other.

"Let her go!" shouted Edmund struggling against his binds, but only fell forward and landed hard on his chin.

Ginabrrik raised the dagger, but didn't stab her, what he did was far better, but far worse at the same time. He took her long hair right off with the knife. She yelped as he pulled at her head and then threw the long lifeless hair on the ground.

Hope looked at Edmund in shock, her eyes wide as if he would no longer like her because she now had hair as short as his, only just a bit scrappier. It fell in her eyes and around her ears, but in the back it was cut very close to her head.

Edmund's stomach gave a large lurch and he almost couldn't find it in himself to get up as her hands flew to her head trying to cover up her hair, but were soon pulled away and chained behind her back. She looked as if someone had turned her blue green eyes up to full power and beyond, her heart shaped face looking fairer and rosier than ever, and now off her shoulders it made her seem taller and almost shapelier.

"Next time I'll take a little more off," snarled Ginabrrik lifting Edmund to his feet which shook beneath him as the dwarf pressed the blade to Hope's throat. He grumbled something to himself and walked back to the dungeon door to unlock it.

"What are _you_ looking at?!" she snapped as Edmund stared at her face.

"N-nothing… sorry," he replied looking down at his feet and stealing a few glances now and then at her new style, if you could call it that.

The dwarf pushed the two out of the dungeon and back into the courtyard where the light was shining on the snow so intensely that it made their eyes burn. After their eyes had adjusted they could see the witch standing in her sleigh beyond the statues. She had a cold presence that made both look away from her, but when they did they found that the thing they were looking at was far worse. It was a statue, of Mr. Tumnus frozen in stone, his silent screams still filling their ears. Their eyes widened and they jumped backwards, still staring at him in horror.

"When you're ready, Son of Adam, Daughter of Eve," the White Witch said harshly.

"Come on humans, while we're still young!" called Mr. Beaver trotting across the ice several yards ahead of the four, panting and dragging their feet through the snow covered river.

"If he tells us to hurry one more time," Peter wheezed lifting Lucy onto his back, "I'm going to turn him in a big, fluffy hat," then looking at Charlotte who was hanging on his shoulder.

"I don't suppose Narnia sells inhalers," she gasped lifting her feet high to ever make it over the snow.

"No, I wouldn't suppose so," he replied looking up ahead to see that Susan had run off to catch up with the beavers.

"Come on! Hurry up!" yelled Mr. Beaver breaking into a run.

"He is getting a little bossy," Lucy said followed by a sigh.

"No!" shouted Mrs. Beaver, "Behind you! It's her!"

They looked over their shoulders quickly to see a sleigh pulled by reindeer traveling across the ice at a very fast speed. Peter dropped Lucy to her feet and they ran after the beavers as the pounding of hooves and the jingling of bells on the deer grew louder on the ice. The edge of the forest grew closer as the ice shrank away into the distance behind them and into view came a small cave like area behind a few rocks, perfect for hiding.

All dove over the snow and into the shelter as the bells stopped ringing, as did the hoof beats. A shadow suddenly appeared on the snow in front of them, as if someone was standing above the cave and after a few seconds of just standing there walked away.

"I-I guess I'll go check," Peter murmured causing Charlotte to sit up strait and bang her head on the rock above them.

"No," said Mr. Beaver quickly, "You're worth nothing to Narnia dead."

"But neither are you Beaver," Mrs. Beaver said as he prepared to jump out.

"Thanks, dear," he said hugging her and jumping up through the snow.

All held their breath, just waiting until Beaver's head popped back into the shelter with a broad smile saying, "Come on! Come on! I hope you've all been good because someone's here to see ya!"

Charlotte pulled herself from the cave and stood up then gave a hand to Lucy and pointed excitedly at something that the two oldest Pevensies couldn't see so they too crawled out and stood up to see a sleigh that was not white like the witch's it was brown and the same shade as the reindeer dressed in elegant bells that glistened silver in the light of the morning sun. And in front of the sleigh stood a man in a worn, red, leather jacket and a long white beard, with a grin of jolliness and twinkly eyes.

"Merry Christmas, sir!" exclaimed Charlotte and Lucy with bright smiles.

"It certainly is Lucy, Charlotte, now that you've arrived," he chuckled.

"Look," Susan said under her breath to Peter, "I've put up with a lot since I got here, but this?"

"We thought you were the witch," Peter said cutting her off.

"Well yes," he replied, "But in my defense I've been driving one of these far long than the witch."

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia," Susan muttered.

"No, not for a long time, but the hope you are bringing is finally causing the witch's power to crumble," he said leaning back into his sleigh and pulling a large sack out and putting it on the ground.

"Presents!" beamed Lucy running forwards.

"Juice of the fire flower," he said handing her a small bottle of red liquid, "One drop and it'll cure any injury." He then reached back into his bag and pulled out a small steal dagger in a red sheath which he handed to her.

"… Thank you, sir…. I think I can be brave enough."

"Oh, I'm sure you can, battles are ugly affairs."

Lucy nodded and stepped backwards as he took a bow and arrows out of the bad along with a white horn in the shape of a roaring lion.

"Susan," he said as she stepped forward, "Trust in this bow and it will not easily miss."

"What happened to 'battles are ugly affairs'?" she asked taking it.

He laughed and said, "Though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard, blow on this horn and help will come."

She nodded and walked back to the others.

"Charlotte," he said reaching into the bag and taking out what looked like a smaller, lighter version of a red crossbow, "Don't fire this unless you know where it's going, and the consequences."

"I can do that," she grinned taking it as he handed her a golden helmet dressed with silver swirls like the wind.

"You've got a good head on your shoulders, keep it that way."

"No problem," she said placing the helmet on her head.

"Peter," he said holding out a sword in a red sheath and a silver shield with a red lion painted across the front. "The time to use these may be close at hand."

"Thank you, sir," Peter said taking the sword from its protective covering and gazing at it.

"Well I must be off," he said lifting the bag back onto his sleigh. "Winter is almost over, and thing do tend to pile up when you've been gone a hundred years…. Long live Aslan," he smiled getting into the sled, "And merry Christmas!" then rode away.

"Bye!" they called, "Merry Christmas!"

"He said… winter is almost over," Peter said once he had gone, "You know what that means…."

The others cocked their heads and simply stared up at him as he finished the thought with a solemn, "No more ice."

When they reached a large, but crossable, river they found this statement to be true. The ice that held the passage way sturdy and the waterfall from collapsing on top of them was cracking and water was seeping through.

They stood on the edge debating whether to cross or find another part that was slightly less frightening, but deciding that this would be the way they would cross when a howling, growing louder by the second, filled their ears.

"We need to cross, now!" shouted Peter taking Lucy by the arm and jumping down to the water with Charlotte following.

"Can't we just think about this for a minute," Susan yelled back, not moving from her position.

"We don't really have a minute," Charlotte pointed out.

"I'm just trying to be realistic," she snapped.

"No," Peter said in a mocking tone, "You're trying to be smart!"

She scowled and planted her feet firmly on the ground hoping to make a scene of this, but as the howling came again she decided it just wasn't worth it and followed her brother down onto the ice.

Peter looked around and took a step out causing it to crack and water to spray up.

"Wait," said Beaver, "Maybe I should go first."

"Maybe you should."

Beaver stepped out onto the ice and continued to trot across, banging his tail along the ground, the others walking behind him and the ice giving out when they had stepped off.

When they were about half was across Lucy screamed and pointed upward as two wolves ran across the top of the waterfall, Maugrim being one of them. The two leaped from their perch to stand amber eyes narrowed, legs spread, hackle raised, teeth bore, in front of them.

The children went to turn backwards but found the other side was also be guarded by two wolves pacing the edge of the water.

Mr. Beaver jumped forward waved a front paw of claws at them, but the other wolf with Maugrim also jumped forward and caught him around the neck, pinning him to the ground.

"No!" shouted Mrs. Beaver as Peter drew his sword and pointed it at Maugrim.

"Kill him!" urged Charlotte, but Peter looked almost petrified.

"Put that down boy!" Maugrim sneered, "Someone could get hurt."

"Don't worry about me!" shouted Mr. Beaver as the wolf holding him, bit down on his throat harder, "Run him through!"

"Leave now and your brother and his girlfriend leave with you," he said.

"Where's she?" Charlotte snarled pulling the crossbow from her back and pointing it right at his forehead.

The wolf almost looked slightly more intimidated by her simply because she looked as if she might actually do it.

"Stop!" Susan yelled over the growing sound of cracking ice and rushing water, "Maybe we should listen to him!"

"Smart girl," Maugrim grinned.

"Don't listen to him!" Beaver shouted, "Gut him while you still have a chance!"

"Look!" Susan continued, "Just because some man in a red suit hands you a sword and a helmet it doesn't make you a hero! Just drop them!"

"No! Narnia needs you!" Beaver gasped struggling against the wolf.

"What's it going to be?" Maugrim toyed, "I won't wait forever, and neither will the river."

"Peter!" Lucy screamed as the falls above them began to crack and fall apart.

"Hold on to me!" Peter shouted as Charlotte threw her crossbow back over her back and clung to Peter along with Susan and Lucy as he plunged the sword into the ice and the whole water fall came crashing down on top of them. Both beavers jumped from where they had been standing dove into the water as the wolves were swept away by the current and washed up on the other side.

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver jumped up on the opposite side the wolves were on and shook themselves dry as three humans and one empty coat emerged from the water.

"What have you done?!" Susan shouted at her brother, holding a drenched coat missing the little sister that was supposed to be inside it. "Lucy!"

"Lucy!" Charlotte called.

"Has anyone seen my coat?" Lucy's voice came from the edge of the water and she walked up wet and shivering.

Peter smiled and wrapped the coat around his sister.

"Don't you worry dear," laughed Beaver, "Your brother's got you well looked after."

"I don't think you'll be needing those coats anymore," grinned Mrs. Beaver looking into the forest where the snow all seemed to be melting and the trees budding. The smell of spring was in the air.

The White Witch watched over the edge of the bright green grass where the small cliff, wet with freshly melted snow, began, ending in the rushing blue green river that had been held back for just about one hundred years. She looked extremely furious, or at least to the children, who at this point were terrified of her anyway.

After the incident where Edmund and Hope had fallen out of the sleigh leaving cuts on their faces and bruises on their arms. Although they used the word 'fallen' loosely, both insisting they had been pushed by someone, whether it was the witch or the dwarf neither could decide, but it wasn't like either cared what happened to them.

Hope was the true target though considering she wouldn't say anything about the children being hunted, Edmund was a bit weaker and would give out before he'd let anything bad happen to himself or her. However nothing had happened yet that would threaten someone else that she could save.

This might have been why Hope had distanced herself from the edge of the cliff, and the witch peering over it. And when a whitish grey colored wolf stepped up behind her and scared her so badly she fell backwards she was glad that she wasn't as close to the edge as Edmund was.

"Your Majesty," it growled as the wolf behind it threw a mangled fox with matted fur on the ground in front of her, "we found the traitor rallying you enemies in the Sharwood Forest."

"Forgive me you're Majesties-," the fox said managing a bow.

"Don't waste my time with flattery," the White Witch snapped without hearing the end of the word.

"Not to seem rude, but I wasn't talking to you," the fox scowled looking from her to the children, who smiled.

The witch looked at them in disgust and pointed her staff at the fox, saying, "Where is Aslan."

The fox didn't reply causing Hope to shift uncomfortably and her eyes to widen.

The witch shook her head in a disapproving manner and raised her weapon at the defenseless creature.

Now it was Edmund thinking, "Don't do it!" but Hope did anyway.

"Wait!" Hope shouted moving in front of the staff, "The beavers said something about the Stone Table, and that Aslan had an army there…." She then turned to look back at the fox, who hung his head shamefully and stared at his black paws.

"She's lying!" Edmund interrupted, "Sh-she didn't mean it!"

"Well done, Hope," the White Witch said moving the girl off to the side to stand near Edmund, "I'm glad this creature got to see some honesty… before he died!"

And with a swift move of her staff the fox was turned instantly to stone. She then looked at Edmund, who had tried to cover for her, the boy who had dare lie to the queen.

She raised a hand and slapped him across the face, causing Hope to gasp. "Think about whose side you're on Edmund," the witch said gripping his face in her cold boney hands and turning it to look at the stone fox, "Mine? Or theirs?"

A large tear rolled down his cheek as she looked away.

"I'm sorry Ed," Hope mumbled, "I didn't mean it."

"You're lucky you're easier to forgive," he said with a staggered smile.

_**Let me know what you think, this was just sort of a quick chapter, but still. I HOPE you enjoyed it!**_

**_Tennessee_**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**The Lion, The Witch, and The New Hope**

**Tennessee**

A loud horn was blown by a centaur that stood on the top of a rocky hill standing before the camp of Aslan to announce the arrival of the awestruck children. Creatures of all shapes and sizes moved out of red velvet tents and followed them through the grass silently as not to let them know they were behind them. Talking animals that had been jabbering away suddenly froze and watched them go by and all the work that had been being done on weapons and grinded to a halt.

The humans weren't sure where they were headed to but the more they neared at tent grander than all the rest with golden tassels hanging from it and a centaur that was possibly the biggest living thing they'd every seen they stopped and looked towards him they knew this must be the tent of the great Aslan. Peter drew his sword with a shaky hand and pointing it high murmured, "W-we have come to see Aslan."

All the creatures turned towards the tent and bowed as a paw stepped through the cloth door, followed by a golden lion with a beautiful mane and yellow eyes that carried messages of hope in them.

All four bowed at the sight of him, until it spoke kindly saying, "Welcome Peter, Son of Adam, Charlotte, Susan, and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. And beavers, you have my thanks. But where is the last Daughter of Eve and Son of Adam?"

"That's why we're here sir," Peter said getting to his feet.

"We had a little trouble along the way," Charlotte nodded as Peter went on.

"Our brother and his friend have been captured by the White Witch."

"Captured?" Aslan said in shocked tone, "How could this have happened?"

Mr. Beaver shifted uncomfortably and then spoke up saying, "They betrayed them your Majesty."

"Then he has betrayed us all!" exclaimed the centaur nearest Aslan, causing all four to jump.

"Peace Oreius," Aslan said in a calming tone.

"It's my fault," Peter sighed, "I was too hard and him, and he took her with him…."

"I think we all were," Susan said placing a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"Sir, he's our brother! And we love about them!" Lucy cried.

"I know dear one," Aslan said soothingly, "but that only makes the betrayal all the worse. This may be harder than you think."

"That is Cair Paravel," Aslan said nodding to a grand palace on the water while talking to Peter, now dressed in traditional Narnian garb, "Of the thrones there one must sit the High King, which will be you Peter."

He looked at his feet and didn't respond.

"You doubt the prophecy," Aslan stated.

"N-no, that's just it, I'm not who you think I am," he replied quietly.

"You're Peter Pevensie, former resident of Finchly. Beaver also mentioned you wanted to turn him into a hat," he smiled.

Aslan then continued, "Peter there is a Deep Magic that rules over Narnia. It defines right from wrong and helps us fulfill destinies, both yours and mine."

"I don't think I'll be able."

"You were able to get your family here."

"Not all of it."

"I will do what I can for Edmund and Hope; I want my family safe too."

Susan and Lucy sat down by the river admiring their new dresses and playing with the sides as if they weren't fit to wear them.

"Mom had a dress like this before the war," Susan stated smoothing it out.

"We should bring her back some!" Lucy said with a toothy grin, "A whole trunk full!"

Susan looked across the stream and murmured, "If we ever get back."

Lucy bit her lip and sighed.

"I'm sorry I'm like that," Susan said turning to her with a smile, "We used to have fun together didn't we?"

"Yes," her little sister nodded, "Before you got boring."

"Oh really?" Susan smiled taking a handful of water and throwing it at Lucy.

"Ah!" she exclaimed splashing her back.

Susan smiled and walked up to where the towels hung from a long close line and pulled one off revealing the wolf Maugrim with teeth bared and ready to pounce.

They shrieked and jumped backwards as another wolf emerged also.

"Please don't run," Maugrim panted showing just how weary he really was, "We're tired, and prefer to kill you quickly."

Susan looked around for a way out of this situation and spotted her horn one the table only a few yards away.

She shouted and threw the towel in the wolf's face and dove for it.

"Peter!" Charlotte shouted jumping off her horse that she had rode over to him on, "They- Susan- Lucy is- we got to go!"

"What?" he stuttered.

"Susan blew the horn!"

"Oh my God!" he shouted running through the water and drawing his sword as Charlotte jumped back on the horse and followed him through the wood and to the stream finding Susan and Lucy in the large tree while the two wolves jumped at their dangling feet.

"Get back!" Peter shouted as the wolves turned to look at him and began circling.

"Come on!" he exclaimed, "We've alright been through this! We both know you haven't got it in you!"

Suddenly a large paw landed on one leaving only Peter and Maugrim.

"Stay your weapons," Aslan told the others that were ready to attack Maugrim, "This is Peter's battle."

Peter swallowed hard and pointed the blade at the remaining wolf.

"You think you're a king," he growled, "But you're going to die, like a dog!" he exclaimed leaping at Peter and tackling him to the ground, both remained still.

"Peter!" screamed Charlotte.

The girls shrieked and jumped from the tree then pushed the Maugrim's body off him.

Peter sat up with a dazed look about him, then glanced down at the sword sticking from the wolf's dead body and hugged Lucy and Susan.

Aslan took his paw off the other wolf which yelped in panic and took off running for the woods.

"After him," he ordered, "He'll lead you to Edmund."

Charlotte grinned and drew her crossbow, then rode with the others through the forest, leading them after the wolf who was running full speed, glancing over his should at them occasionally and speeding up.

In the camp that was soon to be infiltrated, Ginabrrik walked around the tree that Edmund and Hope were tied to taunting them. Tears rolled down her face, but she couldn't cry due to the gag in her mouth, and Edmund couldn't do anything about it.

"Oh, crying like a baby?" he smirked, "Maybe she needs a nap, don't you agree?" he said looking at Edmund, who narrowed his eyes.

"No? Well I'm in charge of special treatment; can't I get you a pillow, or possibly something hot to drink?"

Suddenly there was a loud howling sound and a wolf came tearing into the camp followed by Charlotte with crossbow to her shoulder and her helmet on her head, shooting everything with a weapon drawn.

She jumped from her horse and down to where Hope and Edmund were tied.

"It's alright," she smiled untying Hope, who tackled her with a hug as soon as her binds were taken off.

"Charlotte!" she wept.

"It's going to be alright," Charlotte said calling over Oreius and untying Edmund who hugged her also. "Hang on tight," she said helping the two onto his back.

Oreius smiled and ran off back into the woods with the others.

Charlotte grinned at her job well done after tying the dwarf up where Edmund had been and mounted her horse again, but suddenly something with large, sharp teeth caught her leg and pulled her down as he horse rode back into the woods.

Charlotte drew her crossbow and aimed it at the wolf like creature with long arms and legs and two beady black eyes, then shot, it howled loudly and let go, but dove and tackled her again. She shot again, this time killing it, but now a woman was approaching. A woman she knew was the witch even though she had never laid eyes on before. Her dress was a cold white color and one her head rested a crown that looked as if it was made of ice.

Charlotte shot an arrow at her which she instantaneously deflected with her staff and then pointed it right at the girl's neck.

"I don't suppose you're related to the Edmund boy," she stated coldly.

"No," Charlotte stuttered.

"Very well, kill her," she said to the large beast with a heavy axe.

Charlotte muttered her last goodbye as the creature raised the axe, but then the witch cut in, "Wait…. I might have a job worth your life."

She looked up.

"Kill the traitors."

"I won't," she said boldly.

"We could raise the reward a little," she smiled.

"Never."

"It's simple, you kill them, you keep your life, and when I win this war you'll be queen."

"You won't win, we killed everyone here."

"Silly girl," she snapped, "You think that was my army?"

"…?"

"This wasn't even a fraction of it. If you knew how many are on my side you'd drop dead now."

"I'll take my chances."

"Final offer. You kill them, keep your life, become queen, the oldest Pevensie boy is yours."

"You can't do that."

"But I'm afraid if you don't, you'd have to watch him die a slow and painful death."

"I won't kill them!"

"Oh, not both, I need a pawn so just make it the Edmund boy."

"…."

"Does Peter really like his brother? Wouldn't he be far better off without him? More time to think of you and less time worrying about his family."

"I-I can't…."

"Oh, I think you can, this is what Peter would want."

"What he'd… want?"

"Yes."

Charlotte got to her feet and took a step backwards, "… Y-you're right."

"I know, now you go and take care of this situation and just remember what I told you."

She nodded slowly and turned walking into the woods without a glance back.

Peter yawned and emerged from the tent he had spent the night in; the early morning sun was just coming over the ocean water and illuminated the spot on the high rocks above the camp where Aslan stood with his brother and Hope. None looked up or noticed him standing there so he simply watched for a moment until Charlotte, Lucy, and Susan emerged rubbing their eyes.

"Edmund!" shouted Lucy once she had seen him.

The two looked up and Aslan motioned for the two to go see their friends and family.

What's done is done," Aslan nodded standing beside them, "There is no need to talk to Hope or Edmund about what is past." He then bowed his head and walked away.

"Oh, Edmund!" exclaimed Lucy hugging her brother and then hugging Hope.

Susan smiled and hugged them as she asked, "Are you two alright."

"Just a little tired," they sighed looking from Peter to Charlotte, who was watching her feet and obviously completely detached from what was going on.

"Why don't you go get some rest," Peter said coldly nodding towards the tent.

They nodded and walked over towards it, but Peter stopped them, "And guys, try not to wander off."

They smiled and Edmund walked into the boy's tent while Hope entered the girl's.

A few hours later when they were fully rested and sitting outside stuffing their faces Lucy smiled, "Narnia's not going to run out of toast you two."

They grinned and continued jamming it into their mouths.

"You can pack some for the journey home," Peter said taking a sip from his goblet and walking over.

"We're leaving?" Lucy asked sitting up.

"You five are, I promised Mum I'd keep you safe. It doesn't mean I can't stay and help."

"But we have to stay, they need us."

"No, you almost drowned and Edmund and Hope were almost killed."

"That's why we need to stay," Hope said quietly, "We've seen what the witch can do, and we've helped her do it.

Edmund nodded, "We can't leave these people behind to suffer for it."

Lucy and Susan grinned at this, but Charlotte didn't respond, she'd been rather spacey all morning and no one knew why.

"Well then," Susan said standing up.

"Where are you going?" Peter asked.

"To get some practice in," she replied picking up her bow.

"I should get a sword," Hope nodded.

"How about a bow?" Edmund suggested knowing she would be putting herself right in the middle of a battle with a sword.

"I'm better with a blade, Mum had me take fencing for six years. I only worked with a bow for about three."

"I'll go with Susan," Lucy volunteered taking her blade out of its sheath, "How about you Charlotte?"

"Huh?" she muttered, "Oh yeah sure I'll come."

Peter shrugged and picked up his blade, "Well I'll get two some swords then."

**_Hi all you readers, sorry it took so long to get this one up, I've been real busy! Anyway I HOPE you enjoyed at and I really want to know what you thought of Charlotte and the witch, so let me know please!_**

**_Tennessee_**


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